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They are used as a 'designator' for them. Back in the old days, they found too many Marines 'hanging out' on the beach instead of at the front where they were supposed to be, (thinking it safer I suppose...it wasn't LOL) so the Landing support element began wearing the red patch. Thus, those who didn't have the patch, didn't belong on the beach. The tradition continues today. The patch is, believe it or not, usually cut from a section of NCO blood stripe.

The "patches" are were made from the old blues blood stripping from trouser leg material. One inch square on the center of the sweatband front,
three by one inch, horizontal at the break on the outside face of the trousers
centered on the joint @ the knee.
As you stated, the patches were used to identify those who "Belonged" on the beach.. The US Army also used the same system durring Korea.
For a while the RedPatch units were named "Pioneers" untill about 1964 when they were re-named "ShoreParty" , Sometime later after vietnam the name changed again to something like "Landing Support "~~~~~
Think there may have been something added in a personal record book about qualifications , not sure there was an actual MOS for the duty assignment.

"Red Tag Fag" will cost you a few teeth when you say it loud enough to be heard.
Actual make up of the battalion i cant address T/O wise , been too long since beeing there.
No real good way to describe what shore party IS or what the dutys are limited to... But can tell you this...we land with the first wave and the grunts if you want to hear that ,, Used to place the beach markers
,...
moved all supplies onto and off of the beach. that also included roads ,
we did roadways and beach matting for vehicles and crap too.
Could say it was a Steroid version of a Engineer battalion with a lot of
troops who were cross trained in a lot of areas.
Engineers, Motor T, Utilities.

You might find a Navy Beachmaster somewhere , but just expect him to be in your way as soon as he finds the beach, which he does as soon as he found his ass with two hands.

"Red Tag Fag" will cost you a few teeth when you say it loud enough to be heard.
Actual make up of the battalion i cant address T/O wise , been too long since beeing there.
No real good way to describe what shore party IS or what the dutys are limited to... But can tell you this...we land with the first wave and the grunts if you want to hear that ,, Used to place the beach markers

!!

The Battalion use to be made up of 04's, Air Delivery, Motor T, Mech's and Engineers. I was a 1345 Heavy Equip Op wearing the "patch" in both 3rd and 2nd LSB. I will say that is was one of the most organized Battalions where either Port or Beach Ops or Drops were conducted like a fine oiled machine. Everyone knew their job, when to do it and how each interacts with the other.

I have too many stories to tell, and not enough time to type them all. Believe me, being a landing support specialist is not a bad deal. you will be part of the only organization that still wears a unit designator, other than wings and scuba bubbles. you will be the first in, the last out of many different countries around the world. You get the best of both worlds as all the supplies route through your ports, airfields, beachs, or rail heads. So the supplies are often there for the taking if there is excess. i'm a proud red patch, the MOS is 0481, and i knew i would love it since it match the last 4 of my SSN. Red Patch for life!

The "patches" are were made from the old blues blood stripping from trouser leg material. One inch square on the center of the sweatband front,three by one inch, horizontal at the break on the outside face of the trouserscentered on the joint @ the knee.As you stated, the patches were used to identify those who "Belonged" on the beach.. The US Army also used the same system durring Korea.For a while the RedPatch units were named "Pioneers" untill about 1964 when they were re-named "ShoreParty" , Sometime later after vietnam the name changed again to something like "Landing Support "~~~~~Think there may have been something added in a personal record book about qualifications , not sure there was an actual MOS for the duty assignment.

I was at Camp Lejeune in 1964 when Second Service Battalion 2d FSR 2dMardiv was split into two units, the old organization and a new unit, the Second Shore Party Battalion. We wore the red patches as you said, both before the split and after, and there was no seperate MOS, although I was sent to a month school for Embarkation at LFTULANT Little Creek, VA. and got an MOS added but don't remember what it was. I was in communications, 2541/2543 both there in Shore Party Bn. and at Base Comm MarCorBase CLNC.

I have too many stories to tell, and not enough time to type them all. Believe me, being a landing support specialist is not a bad deal. you will be part of the only organization that still wears a unit designator, other than wings and scuba bubbles. you will be the first in, the last out of many different countries around the world. You get the best of both worlds as all the supplies route through your ports, airfields, beachs, or rail heads. So the supplies are often there for the taking if there is excess. i'm a proud red patch, the MOS is 0481, and i knew i would love it since it match the last 4 of my SSN. Red Patch for life!

I stand corrected; in my last post before this one I said there was no seperate MOS. I wasn't aware of any MOS designation, but you gave 0481, and that may have been the one I earned at Little Creek Embark school.